


Pet Names

by CloakedSparrow



Series: Marvel Ficlets & Headcanons Collection [18]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Friendship/Love, Gen, Male Friendship, No Romance, No Sex, No Smut, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Off-screen Relationship(s), Other, Pet Names, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Romantic Friendship, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, the nature of Steve and Bucky's relationship is up to interpretation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 01:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11521995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloakedSparrow/pseuds/CloakedSparrow
Summary: Steve and Bucky had always been exceptionally close. In their day, it was natural for friends to throw an arm around the other, to hug, to stand close, even to hold hands on occasion. They called each other 'pal', 'buddy', 'my friend' and even 'doll' a couple of times. 'Punk' and 'Jerk' eventually became terms of affection between them as well.In the 21st century, things aren't so simple. People don't want to mind their own business and they don't understand the relationship between Steve and Bucky. They want it spelled out. They want to make sure its acceptable. Steve's gonna spell something for them all right.Between his illnesses, the war, decades spent in a glacier for one and decades as a prisoner for the other, and now having to navigate a century they probably never should have survived to see let alone experience as young men, Steve and Bucky find they really don't care what others find acceptable.





	Pet Names

Steve and Bucky had always been exceptionally close. 

In their day, it was natural for friends to throw an arm around the other, to hug, to stand close, even to hold hands on occasion. It was acceptable to sit on the other's lap or atop the others shoulders in jest or for play. They called each other 'pal', 'buddy', 'my friend' even 'doll' a couple of times. 

On one memorable occasion 'dear-heart' had been used. Although the two of them are the only ones who were there to remember it and neither have spoken of it to date. Steve had been very ill and they don't like to talk about the times they'd nearly lost each other. 

Bucky was the sort who could find the funny in just about anything. So when Steve was called a punk in a very unflattering way and proceeded to steam about it for days, he started using the term affectionately whenever Steve was being particularly obstinate. At first Steve called him a jerk in response, but then _that_ became a term of affection as well. One day, when Bucky told Steve he was being a jerk, Steve responded by calling him ‘punk’ without thinking and that led to pearls of laughter and a forgotten argument. Soon enough they were trading off 'punk' and 'jerk' between them just as often as they called each other 'pal'. 

Neither could remember when it started, but at some point Steve even started calling Bucky _Buck_. After a while he called him it nearly as often as he used Bucky. Normally, that would be insulting for an older boy and especially a grown man, but Bucky never had a problem with it. It was just another term of affection between them. 

The other Howling Commandos didn’t react to these terms whenever they heard them, save for the occasional trade of grins behind Steve and Bucky’s backs. They knew full well that the bond between the Captain and Bucky was the sole reason for their unexpected and ill-advised rescue from Hydra. As far as they were concerned, the terms of affection were simply a reminder of that bond. A bond that led a man with no experience and little training to infiltrate a highly advanced enemy base on the off chance that his friend was still alive in there. A bond that gave a POW the resolve to hold on through experiments that had killed dozen of other men and then led him to keep fighting well after anyone else would have taken an honorable discharge because there was no way he was leaving his friend to fight alone.

If anyone else had a problem with it, they would have to take it up with the whole unit. Most others didn't seem to notice and those that did rarely reacted. It was a war, no one cared if a couple soldiers who grew up together had a unique bond. If it got them through the hell that was the battlefield, then good for them. 

In the meantime, Dernier and Jones taught them some French terms of endearment to add to their roster. Dernier laughed in delight the first time he heard Bucky call Steve ‘mon cher’ while scolding him for not watching his surroundings as he reloaded his rifle after picking off the Hydra agents that Steve had been oblivious too. Jones and Falsworth joined in the laughter when Steve replied with “That’s what I have you for, mon ange.” Then Bucky called Steve ‘jerk’ and Steve replied by calling him ‘punk’ and they both smiled. 

The others smiled as well. Then they got back to saving the world, which felt a little brighter for a while. 

In the twenty-first century, both Steve and Bucky found social interactions very odd. Words and actions were treated so differently. More often than not, the affection they showed each other was considered inappropriate and often sexual in nature. They received odd, and sometimes nasty, looks and the occasional scathing remark whenever they went out in public. 

Not that any of that stopped them. 

They actually found it amusing when people had such strong reactions as giving them dirty looks for wrapping an arm around each other in line at a coffee shop or hugging when they met up after being separated for any length of time. Even the other Avengers often looked sideways at them, as though they were a puzzle to be sorted out.

Terms of endearment in the twenty-first century were a particular point of amusement for Steve and Bucky. They didn't understand how words like 'pumpkin' and 'muffin' became something you called a loved one. They were so amused by this trend, that they started calling each other after foods all the time. At first, it was terms they'd actually heard used.

“Where's my shield, Pumpkin?” 

“It's with my guns, Honey. I figured I'd polish it while I was cleaning ‘em.” 

This sort of thing was followed by very amused smiles and a loving pat on the back or affectionate shove when one took it further than expected. 

Steve and Bucky even used the terms over coms during missions, usually when things got really crazy. Such as the time Steve was nearly hit by an actual manticore, only to have the beast picked off by Bucky, who was perched on a nearby building with a sniper rifle.

“Thanks, Sugar.”

“Anytime, Crumpet.”

Soon that dissolved into them using _any_ food name. The stranger, the better. 'Peaches', 'kumquat', 'dumpling', 'sarsaparilla' and 'potato' were all used often enough that the other Avengers and SHIELD agents whom they had no problem exercising this behavior in front of stopped reacting to them at some point. 

During one particularly memorable mission, the Avengers had been joined by a mercenary called Deadpool, who's real name was Wade Wilson. After fighting beside the strange man for hours on end, Steve actually called Bucky 'my chimichanga'. Bucky in turn called Steve 'my kielbasa'. The others ignored them as usual. Wade thought it was hilarious and was happy to have caught the exchange in the video he was recording on his phone. 

Wade had just wanted to show his daughter that her daddy had helped the Avengers and even left such a impression on Captain America and Bucky that they’d adopted some of his favorite foods as pet names. He hadn't intended for the video to be leaked. But when it was, he wasn’t surprised that it went viral in a matter of seconds. 

Steve and Bucky had an unspoken understanding ever since 1943. Bucky would always have Steve's back; would always support him. That had been true well before the war, but from then on he would also do the dirty work that 'Captain America' couldn't be involved in. He would follow Steve through any battlefield, come hell or high water, with only minimal complaining. Even then, that came only when Steve had done something particularly reckless or dangerous. 

In exchange, Bucky was not to have to deal with any press or publicity stunts. No interviews; no comments; no posing for photos; no acting in promotional videos. He didn't want to be anyone's poster boy or mouthpiece. He just wanted to be a soldier. He just wanted to make the world a little safer while ensuring that Steve didn’t get himself blown up or beaten down.

So Steve handled the press. If they were swamped after an incident, Bucky would fall behind Steve and watch his back while Steve answered or staved off any questions. Steve posted for photos and spoke in press conferences while Bucky remained in the shadows. 

The other Avengers, SHIELD and the World Security Council were happy with this arrangement, since no one was under the illusion that they would have any control over what Bucky said. The only one who had an issue was Steve. Not that he had any problem with their arrangement; he never had. It was just that doing all the talking for the pair of them had led to Bucky being treated like his sidekick. Steve attempted to counter this by referring to Bucky as his partner whenever possible. 

Unfortunately, the term 'partner' and the popular video featuring their clearly commonplace use of pet names lead to a public assumption that caused a major publicity issue. Interviews with employees at the coffee shop and bookstore they frequented, as well as some anonymous employees of Stark Inc, told of their affectionate attitudes toward each other. Eventually, Steve was asked to attend a short press conference to explain the nature of his relationship with Bucky. 

This was all fine until Steve learned exactly _why_ there was an issue. His speech at the conference was less an explanation of his relationship and more a lecture on civil rights and liberty; on the right to pursue happiness and freedom regardless of social norms. He spoke about his time with the Howling Commandos in World War II and explained exactly what they had been fighting for. He drove his point home until SHIELD was reconsidering letting him speak to the press ever again. 

As the nation weighed in on Captain America and his views on equality, Steve and Bucky bid the other Avengers good night and headed back to their apartment. On the way out, Steve offhandedly called Bucky 'lychee' in conversation and Bucky likewise called Steve 'Sriracha'. They left laughing. 

It was then that the others realized Steve had never confirmed nor denied the suggestion that he and Bucky were anything other than the closest of friends. 

“Does anyone know if they're together or not?” Tony asked. 

Maria rolled her eyes and said that wasn’t the point. Clint only shrugged. Natasha got that angry look she had whenever it was clear she didn't know something. Bruce didn't seem to care. Rhodey didn't believe it was anyone's business either way. Thor didn’t understand why it was an issue at all. As Clint started explaining, Pepper patted Tony on the arm and told him not to over think it. 

Tony was going to just go with it, when he noticed Pepper and Maria share a certain look. He had seen that look before. It was the look shared between two intelligent, observant women who can’t understand how the people around them could be so unaware of or baffled by something so obvious and simple. 

Tony wasn’t good at letting it go when he was clearly missing something. However, Pepper countered his questions with one of her own; one Tony could answer without thinking at all. Would he rather spend the next few hours discussing who Captain America took to his bed, or spend them with Pepper in their own? 

“Lead the way, Pepperoni.” 

As Pepper laughed and intertwined their fingers, Tony had to consider that maybe Cap was onto something with the cutsie terms of affection. Whether they were reserved for his best friend or his lover. If they made someone he loved smile and remember they were cared for, then who were the rest of them to question it?

Behind him, it sounded like Rhodey and Maria were making the very same point. 

Halfway to Brooklyn, Steve draped an arm around Bucky’s shoulders and noticed the response of a few elderly women sitting on the stoop of a building nearby. One looked startled, another sneered, the third beamed at them and offered a friendly nod as their eyes met. Steve returned the nod and grinned. 

Bucky chuckled quietly beside him. “You realize this is drivin’ the others nuts, don’t you?”

“Mm-hm.” Steve’s grin grew into a full blown smile. “An old soldier has to entertain himself somehow.”

Bucky shook his head, but he was grinning and his eyes were warm, affectionate. “Jerk.”

Steve smiled and gave his best friend’s shoulders a squeeze. “Punk.”


End file.
